Q.E.P. Co., Inc. Reports Strong Fiscal 2008 Third Quarter Results


BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 14, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) --



                   Quarterly Sales -- $54.6 Million 

                   Operating Income -- $2.0 Million

BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 14, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Q.E.P. Co., Inc. (Nasdaq:QEPC) (the "Company" or "Q.E.P."), today filed a Form 10-Q with the SEC to announce its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2008 ended on November 30, 2007.

Lewis Gould, Q.E.P.'s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated: "I am pleased with our performance in the third quarter of fiscal 2008. Our quarterly sales of $54.6 million were higher than the $54.3 million achieved in the third quarter of fiscal 2007 even though the Company sold Q.E.P. O'Tool, Inc. (in May 2007) and Q.E.P. Stone Holdings (in July 2007). More importantly, our gross profit percentage increased to 28.8% from 26.8% primarily due to product mix. For the first nine months of fiscal 2008, our record sales volume was $168.7 million with a gross profit percentage of 28.7% as compared to $162.7 million with a gross profit percentage of 27.3% for the first nine months of fiscal 2007.

"Maintaining our quarterly revenue at higher margins along with keeping a tight hold on our operating costs and expenses produced operating income of $2.0 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2008 and $8.2 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2008.

"The Company reported quarterly net income of $0.8 million or $.22 per diluted share for the third quarter of fiscal 2008, compared to net income of $0.4 million or $0.10 per diluted share for the third quarter of fiscal 2007. For the nine months ended November 30, 2007, the Company reported net income of $1.7 million or $.47 per diluted share, compared to a loss of $6.0 million or a loss of $1.78 per diluted share for the nine months ended November 30, 2006.

"When you exclude the change in the put warrant liability and other non-recurring items, the Company reported quarterly adjusted net income of $1.1 million or $.31 per diluted share for the third quarter of fiscal 2008, compared to adjusted net income of $0.3 million or $.08 per diluted share for the third quarter of fiscal 2007. Excluding those same items for the nine months ended November 30, 2007, the Company reported adjusted net income of $3.1 million or $.85 per diluted share, compared to adjusted net income of $1.0 million or $.26 per diluted share for the nine months ended November 30, 2006.

"Also, for the first nine months of fiscal 2008, the Company generated $3.1 million of cash from operations, compared to $2.5 million of cash from operations in the first nine months of fiscal 2007. With the cash generated from operations and the sale of the Company's O'Tool and Stone Holdings operations, the Company paid the $2.3 million put warrant settlement, purchased the new Adelanto, CA facility and paid down debt by $1.3 million."

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this report and are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and from historical results of operations. Among the risks and uncertainties that could cause such a difference are our assumptions relating to the expected growth in sales of our products, the continued success of our manufacturing processes, continued increases in the cost of raw materials and finished goods, improvements in productivity and cost reductions, the continued success of initiatives with certain of our customers, the success of our initiatives, the success of our sales and marketing efforts and other business and economic factors. A more detailed discussion of risks attendant to the forward-looking statements included in this press release are set forth in the "Forward-Looking Statements" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 28, 2007, filed with the SEC, and in our quarterly reports filed with the SEC.



                   Q.E.P. CO., INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                      CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                   (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT SHARE DATA) 


                                                   Nov. 30,   Feb. 28,
                                                     2007       2007
                                                  ---------  ---------
                                                 (Unaudited)
                    ASSETS

 CURRENT ASSETS
 Cash and cash equivalents                        $  1,344   $    822
  Accounts receivable, less allowance
   for doubtful accounts of
   $480 and $354 as of November 30,
   2007 and February 28, 2007,
   respectively                                     33,578     34,491
  Inventories                                       28,997     27,042
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets          1,623      1,349
  Deferred income taxes                                605      1,299
                                                  ---------  ---------
  Total current assets                              66,147     65,003

  Property and equipment, net                        7,969      6,770
  Deferred income taxes                              1,153      2,764
  Goodwill                                           9,533      9,563
  Other intangible assets, net                       2,740      2,831
  Other assets                                         247        225
                                                  ---------  ---------

  Total Assets                                    $ 87,789   $ 87,156
                                                  =========  =========

        LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
 CURRENT LIABILITIES
  Trade accounts payable                          $ 15,407   $ 17,705
  Accrued liabilities                               10,719      9,868
  Lines of credit                                   28,373     27,405
  Current maturities of long term debt               5,056      4,085
  Put warrant liability                                 --        861
                                                  ---------  ---------
  Total current liabilities                         59,555     59,924

  Notes payable                                      1,264      2,398
  Other long term debt                               1,288      2,551
  Other long term liabilities                          346         --
                                                  ---------  ---------
  Total Liabilities                                 62,453     64,873

  Commitments and Contingencies                         --         --

  SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
  Preferred stock, 2,500,000 shares authorized,
   $1.00 par value; 336,660 shares issued
   and outstanding at November 30, 2007 and
   February 28, 2007                                   337        337
  Common stock; 20,000,000 shares authorized,
   $.001 par value; 3,528,341 and
   3,523,341 shares issued, and 3,433,363
   and 3,440,401 shares outstanding at
   November 30, 2007 and February 28, 2007,
   respectively                                          3          3
  Additional paid-in capital                        10,118      9,981
  Retained earnings                                 16,320     15,003
  Treasury stock; 94,978 and 82,940 shares
   (held at cost)  outstanding at
   November 30, 2007 and February 28, 2007,
   respectively                                       (756)      (639)
  Accumulated other comprehensive loss                (686)    (2,402)
                                                  ---------  ---------
  Total Shareholders' Equity                        25,336     22,283
                                                  ---------  ---------
  Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity      $ 87,789   $ 87,156
                                                  =========  =========



                   Q.E.P. CO., INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                  (In thousands except per share data)
                             (Unaudited)

                             For the Three Months  For the Nine Months
                               Ended November 30,   Ended November 30,
                              ------------------- ---------------------
                                 2007      2006     2007       2006
                              --------- --------- ---------  ---------

  Net sales                   $ 54,590  $ 54,345  $168,715   $162,748
  Cost of goods sold            38,874    39,760   120,276    118,238
                              --------- --------- ---------  ---------
  Gross profit                  15,716    14,585    48,439     44,510

  Operating costs
   and expenses:
   Shipping                      5,473     5,903    17,252     17,721
   General and administrative    5,014     4,430    13,827     14,565
   Selling and marketing         3,444     3,098     9,974      9,471
   Impairment loss on
    goodwill and other
    intangibles                     --       (78)       --      7,520
   Other expense
    (income), net                 (167)      (38)     (853)       (41)
                              --------- --------- ---------  ---------
  Total operating costs
   and expenses                 13,764    13,315    40,200     49,236
                              --------- --------- ---------  ---------

  Operating income (loss)        1,952     1,270     8,239     (4,726)

  Change in put warrant
   liability                        --         3    (1,439)     1,319
  Interest expense, net           (656)     (711)   (1,954)    (2,167)
                              --------- --------- ---------  ---------

  Income (loss) before
   provision for
   income taxes                  1,296       562     4,846     (5,574)

   Provision for
    income taxes                   502       192     3,136        457
                             --------- ---------- ---------  ---------

  Net income (loss)           $    794  $    370  $  1,710   $ (6,031)
                              ========= ========= =========  =========

 Net income (loss) per share:

   Basic                      $   0.23  $   0.10  $   0.49   $  (1.78)
                              ========= ========= =========  =========
   Diluted                    $   0.22  $   0.10  $   0.47   $  (1.78)
                              ========= ========= =========  =========

 Weighted average number
  of common shares outstanding
   Basic                         3,430     3,423     3,436      3,402
                              ========= ========= =========  =========
   Diluted                       3,567     3,623     3,603      3,402
                              ========= ========= =========  =========



                      Q.E.P. CO., INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                              (In thousands)
                               (Unaudited)

                                                   For the Nine Months
                                                    Ended November 30,
                                                    --------  --------
                                                      2007      2006
                                                    --------  --------

 Cash flows from operating activities:
 Net income (loss)                                  $ 1,710   $(6,031)

 Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss)
  to net cash provided by operating activities:
  Depreciation and amortization                       1,565     1,895
  Impairment loss on goodwill and other intangibles      --     7,520
  Change in fair value of put warrant liability       1,439    (1,319)
  Write-off of realized accumulated foreign
   translation adjustment                               323       447
  Bad debt expense                                      159       171
  Gain on sale of equipment                            (135)       --
  Gain on sale of businesses                           (605)        -
  Stock-based compensation expense                      254       191
  Deferred income taxes                               2,283       (42)
 Changes in assets and liabilities:
  Accounts receivable                                   935     1,482
  Inventories                                        (2,463)    3,782
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets            (235)      318
  Other assets                                           22         4
  Trade accounts payable and accrued liabilities     (2,196)   (5,930)
                                                    --------  --------
 Net cash provided by operating activities            3,056     2,488
                                                    --------  --------

 Cash flows from investing activities:
  Capital expenditures                               (2,754)     (485)
  Proceeds from sale of equipment                       244        --
  Proceeds from sale of businesses                    3,589        --
                                                    --------  --------
 Net cash provided by (used in)
  investing activities                                1,079      (485)
                                                    --------  --------
 Cash flows from financing activities:
  Net borrowings under lines of credit                  530     1,552
  Borrowings of long-term debt                        1,683        --
  Repayments of long-term debt                       (2,267)   (2,087)
  Repayments of acquisition debt                     (1,253)   (1,834)
  Settlement of put warrant liability                (2,300)       --
  Purchase of treasury stock                           (100)      (90)
  Proceeds from exercise of stock options                34       257
  Dividends                                             (22)      (22)
                                                    --------  --------
 Net cash used in financing activities               (3,695)   (2,224)
                                                    --------  --------

 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash                 82       480
                                                    --------  --------

 Net increase in cash                                   522       259

 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period       822       852
                                                    --------  --------

 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period         $ 1,344   $ 1,111
                                                    ========  ========

Net Income Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Other Non-Recurring Items and Earnings Per Share Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Other Non-Recurring Items are Non-GAAP financial measures. The Company has included these Non-GAAP financial measures because it believes that the measures provide an indicator of profitability and performance of the Company's operations and provide a meaningful comparison of its current operating performance with its historical results. The Company uses Net Income Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Other Non-Recurring Items and Earnings Per Share Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Other Non-Recurring Items as internal measures of its business. Net Income Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Other Non-Recurring Items and Earnings Per Share Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Other Non-Recurring Items are not meant to be considered a substitute or replacement for Net Income and Earnings Per Share as prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The reconciliation of Net Income to Net Income Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Non-Recurring Items and Earnings Per Share to Earnings Per Share Adjusted for the Change in the Put Warrant Liability and Other Non-Recurring Items is as follows:



                                       For the           For the
                                     Three Months       Nine Months 
                                        Ended             Ended
                                     November 30,      November 30,
                                   ----------------- -----------------
                                     2007     2006     2007     2006
                                   -------- -------- -------- --------


 Net income (loss),
  as reported (a)                  $   794  $   370  $ 1,710  $(6,031)

 Add back (deduct):
 (Gain) loss on sale of
  businesses, net of tax                --       --     (383)     354
 Impairment loss on goodwill and
  other intangible assets               --      (78)      --    7,520
 Realization of currency
  translation loss related
  to the disposition of certain
  assets and obligations of the
  foreign subsidiaries                 323       --      323      447
 Change in put warrant liability        --       (3)   1,439   (1,319) 
                                   -------- -------- -------- --------
 Net income adjusted for the
  change in the put warrant
  liability and other
  non-recurring items (b)          $ 1,117  $   289  $ 3,089  $   971
                                   ======== ======== ======== ========

 Earnings (loss) per share,
  as reported:
     Basic ((a)/(c))               $  0.23  $  0.10  $  0.49  $ (1.78)
     Diluted ((a)/(d))             $  0.22  $  0.10  $  0.47  $ (1.78)

 Weighted average number of shares
  outstanding, as reported:
     Basic (c)                       3,430    3,423    3,436    3,402
     Diluted (d)                     3,567    3,623    3,603    3,402

 Earnings per share adjusted for
  the change in the put warrant
  liability and
  non-recurring items:
     Basic ((b)/(e))               $  0.32  $  0.08  $  0.89  $  0.28
     Diluted ((b)/(f))             $  0.31  $  0.08  $  0.85  $  0.26

 Weighted average number of shares
  outstanding as adjusted for the
  change in the put warrant
  liability and
  non-recurring items:
     Basic (e)                       3,430    3,423    3,436    3,402
     Diluted (f)                     3,567    3,623    3,603    3,679


            

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